Are Gut Problems Causing Your Headaches?!

Migraines have plagued humans for ages. In fact, an estimated 28 million Americans currently suffer migraine headaches.

Unfortunately, there has yet to be a "cure" that is satisfying or healthy over the long-term. Most folks manage headache pain and frequency with drugs and lifestyle changes, but still too often are immobilized by  skull-pounding monsters called migraines.

Migraines have been linked to foods, stressors, etc., but an emerging line of research is exploring migraines at a deeper level -- in the gut. Here's the scoop.

Migraines & Gut Health - Intertwined?

It's not news to migraine sufferers that the gut is part of the pain -- food triggers, nausea, constipation, irritable bowel symptoms, and more can all accompany migraines. These conditions have historically been considered migraine symptoms rather than indications of a root cause.

Now, research connecting intestinal dysfunction with migraines is gaining interest. More specifically, by addressing breakdowns in the gut -- both with absorption of nutrients as well as elimination of toxins -- researchers have been making great strides in preventing migraines. Pretty cool, eh?

You see, your gut contains an extensive network of neurons dubbed the enteric nervous system or ENS. The ENS regulates blood flow, secretion, nutrient absorption, communications with the central nervous system, and other vital functions that impact your whole body.

The connection between the ENS and the central nervous system continues to be defined, but there are a variety of ways in which irritation in the gut directly influences the central nervous system. This means when the gut is not functioning properly, the central nervous system (or brain) suffers, as is the case with migraines.

A few dramatic examples of the brain-gut connection:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) patients have many more migraine headaches than people without IBS.

• Gall-stone patients also have a high incidence of migraines along with other intestinal problems.

• Patients with H. pylori overgrowth also have more migraines; when the H. pylori bug is treated, most migraines disappeared, too. Coincidence? Seems not.

Fast fact: The brain-gut connection goes beyond just migraines. Autopsies conducted on Parkinson's and Alzheimer's patients reveal specific brain damage indicative of each disease. Identical damage exists in the neurological tissue of the gut brain as well as in traditional "gray matter" brain tissue.

So what's a migraine-suffering human to do?

If you suffer from migraines, you need to focus on building a healthy gut, which means eating like Dr. Rodier recommends, with plenty of gut-friendly nutrients and detoxifiers (i.e., lean proteins, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, and special botanicals like milk thistle) as well as digestive aids (enzymes) and friendly bacteria (probiotics).

Research studies confirm what Dr. Rodier has long been promoting. In a 2001 study, migraine sufferers were treated with a protein peptide and probiotic blend as well as a multiple ingredient blend to improve liver and kidney function (and thus the efficiency of toxin elimination).

After just three months, 60% of subjects reported almost total relief from migraine attacks, including subjects with a 25-year migraine histories. Another 20% experienced at least some level of significant improvement. 

Other protocols have eliminated irritating foods from the diet and achieved similar results:

"The commonest foods causing reactions were wheat (78%), orange (65%), eggs (45%), tea and coffee (40% each), chocolate and milk (37%) each), beef
(35%), and corn, cane sugar, and yeast (33% each). When an average of ten common foods were avoided there was a dramatic fall in the number of headaches per month, 85% of patients becoming headache-free."

Another study reported that migraine patients challenged with food antigens by skin-prick test showed a significant correlation between specific food allergens the development of both migraine headaches and  abdominal problems.

In yet another study, with children whose headaches were triggered by flashing lights, allergy elimination diets eliminated the migraines triggered by flashing lights and also associated symptoms, such as abdominal pain, behavior disorders, asthma, eczema. Big news that not enough folks know about!

So, it seems like a no-brainer that all y'all with migraines need to pay more attention to your gut (tending it, mending it). If you're interested in following the research more directly, check out: An Integrative Model of Migraine Based on Intestinal Etiology.

Improve Your Intestinal Function

Meanwhile, the Co-op offers many allies for a troubled gut. A few basics -- such as Probiotics 16 (for promoting friendly bacteria colonies), Fish Oil (for addressing inflammation within the gut), Milk Thistle (for liver detoxification), and Pancreatic Enzymes (for help in more thoroughly digesting fats, carbs, and proteins) -- are all "must haves" for a healthy gut.

If you prefer a simple morning shake, Constant Health is loaded with gentle rice protein, potent antioxidants, insoluble and soluble fibers, and liver detoxifiers that all support gut health.

Soothing Greens also supports healthy gut function, with generous amounts of gut-slippery elm, alkalinizing greens, patented probiotics (stable powders, drink mixes, and even in baked goods), and the immune-boosting botanical powerhouse, larch arabinogalactan.

Reminder: Save $5 on Soothing Greens

You can still save during our $5 off sale on Soothing Greens to support your belly and immune system during this season of holiday feasts. Hurry as our sale ends at the end of November!

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